So…What CAN I Eat?

It’s one of the many discoveries I made during the 28-Day Detox that is in its final days. I thought I’d share some of my thoughts now, and pass on information for any of YOU who are interested in taking part in the July launch.

First, a quick update. We’ve been slowly removing items from our diet (to see how our body reacts to them — the only way to know how we really feel ON them is to see how we feel OFF them) while at the same time, adding in things like commitments to “me” time and meditation, drinking plenty of water and de-cluttering our physical and mental spaces. So on this final week, I am doing my best to avoid:

caffeine

sugar / artificial sweeteners

alcohol

gluten

dairy

meat (*I’m already vegetarian so I instead tried to cut out eggs)

Yes, it looks like a lot. And, like you, I started out by saying — what will be left to eat?!

The answer is PLENTY. And for me, the detox forced me to go back to what I really love about eating — discovering new foods (buckwheat! ohhhh how I love this non-wheat grain) and finding creative ways to plan ahead and prepare for eating in a variety of situations.

And I’m very proud to say that despite a lot of obstacles (um, hello Fitbloggin’) I was committed to the plan 100% and the only time I deviated was during a very mindful, very conscious decision (more to come).

Oats (*some people who are gluten-free avoid oats unless they have been processed completely separate from other grains and wheat sources; I just ate regular oats after consulting with the Detox coaches)

Of the foods that we cut out, I struggled most with caffeine, although only immediately — after 2 days of intense withdrawal headaches, I felt GREAT and really noticed more energy when I didn’t have coffee. Gluten came next, and only because I feel less prepared for cooking gluten-free. I had some Bob’s Red Mill GF-Free baking mix, as well as chickpea flour (great for socca), almond meal and more, so once I took a step back and assessed my pantry, it was just a matter of actually finding and making recipes.

I didn’t do anything too work-intensive … no baking (even my buckwheat “bakes” were made in the microwave) and I ate a lot of stuff raw that I normally would cook.

The only time I went off-plan was the Saturday I spent in Baltimore, when we met a college friend for drinks and an incredible dinner, and I really wanted to enjoy the experience. Because I told myself that it was a special occasion, I enjoyed every bite more than I would have, and was truly excited to get back on plan the next morning (as I tweeted to my coach):

I was given the opportunity to try the 28-Detox free of charge so I could honestly evaluate it for readers and potential clients. That’s a blessing. This is not inexpensive (although I am big on spending money on HEALTH and HAPPINESS, and this leads to both).

I came into it as a pretty clean eater already, so the detox part of it was probably less impactful on me than others. However, I did get a lot out of it, including a much better idea of what my body craves when it comes to fuel (fewer carbs, more fruits and veggies) and how it reacts to a lack of certain things.

The best part of the Detox was probably the community — we had weekly phone calls, journaling, email listservs and more. I loved hearing about other people’s struggles and achievements, and it also reminded me to reset once a week and evaluate how I was feeling.

The main coach is Paige, who many healthy living and food bloggers know from The Gravy Boat Blog, and she is WONDERFUL. Calm, understanding — and not preachy. When people would share struggles, she would talk them through it and, in many cases, tell us that it’s OK not to be on plan 100%. If we found that our bodies did well with gluten, we could have it in moderation. It was always OUR challenge, not hers. And there was no judgement.

If you want to give it a try yourself, there are brand new details on the Healthy Spirit Wellness Detox Challenge page. It will start in July, and it’s all online and over the phone. There’s a special early bird discounted rate of $195 for anyone who enrolls by June 10th. To take advantage of the deal, use the discount code JDETOXEB at checkout. After June 10th, the rate will increase by $100.

I don’t make any money if you sign up, so just ask yourself if you need help, and if so, consider the Detox Challenge for yourself.

If you have any questions, please leave me a comment or drop me an email. I’ll give you completely honest feedback!

P.S. I never looked at this as a weight loss challenge — more of a reset — but I did drop about 3.5 pounds. Which is funny because that’s better than I did on 4-Hour Body (although I did put on some muscle then).

About Katy

Katy Widrick is a multimedia producer and online marketing consultant at MakeMediaOver.com. A NASM-certified personal trainer and AFAA-certified group exercise instructor, she writes about healthy living in a hectic world -- a balance between fitness and friendships, all built through social media. But her favorite job is mom to two beautiful girls.